Rebecca Bays is rarin' to lead

Happy Monday! I know the calendar says November, but the New Year is just two days away.

The County Commission swears in a new member Tuesday. Janet Barek is getting all the attention; well-deserved for sure. I would suggest, though, that Janet’s impact on Citrus County her first year in office will be negligible as it is for most freshmen.

Unlike the chairman.

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Barring something unforeseen, Commissioner Rebecca Bays will take the gavel Tuesday to start a successful 12-month term.

The incoming chairman and I enjoyed a Cattle Dog chat the other day. She told me some of her ideas. I provided Rebecca some of mine.

Before I get into that, a few things about the role of chairman.

First off, it’s not the ruler. The chairman has no more authority than any other commissioner. Officially, the chairman runs the meetings and signs documents. The chairman is also considered the County Commission's unofficial spokesperson. The chair, more than any other commissioner, should be most tuned into the goings on in county government.

I’m expecting tremendous things from Chairman Bays, and I told her that. Only Commissioner Jeff Kinnard has more years in office than Bays (she has six, including 2010-14, so this isn’t her first rodeo). We’ve had two years for County Administrator Steve Howard to get his feet wet, numerous irons are in the fire, and the community is eager for the County Commission to show its stuff.

A bunch of areas deserve focus. Here are three:

— Focus one: Cohesive board. The commissioners are in a jumble. Ruthie Davis Schlabach leaving and Barek joining has made Tuesday the start of a big uncertainty.

It’ll be Rebecca Bays’ job to herd the cats. You’d think that’s easy with only five commissioners. Think again. These are five distinct individuals with constituents breathing down their necks. What’s vital to one is passing interest to another.

The challenge is to get all five moving in the same direction. Getting along is not the same as going along. I’m not suggesting 5-0 or 4-1 votes on everything. Citizens expect and want diversity of opinion on the County Commission.

But the chairman can keep things going in a way that encourages involvement from each colleague. A good chairman won’t let a commissioner get away with speech-making, without also challenging him or her to offer ideas.

During the board’s last meeting, citizen Janet Barek was making a point about something. On and on she railed against whatever it was. Finally, her 3 minutes were up. As she returned to her seat, Bays said:

“Bring solutions, Janet.”

Hope that’s the message for all five.

— Focus two: Inverness Villages 4.

It needs a solution. My hope is Bays brings a fresh pair of eyes to move this nightmare off the bureaucratic merry-go-round and into some sort of win column.

She has an idea worth exploring. I’m not going to blurt it out here, but it involves many people coming to the table and acknowledging some responsibility.

Here’s what you’re going to find out about Rebecca Bays: She's pure no-nonsense. We disagree on many issues, but when she gets her head wrapped around something, look out.

Bays is also a big-thinker. She tends to create a “what if” scenario; then see how to fill in the bread-crumbs. Long-range forecasts for growth and revenue are vital to her decision-making. There is no such thing as too much detail.

While that can get overwhelming, and board conversations quickly sink into the weeds, what emerges usually is a well-thought plan that has the bells, whistles, and bugs already worked into it.

IV 4 provides the ultimate challenge to Bays. She and Kinnard both want some movement on it, and soon. I'll be really surprised if we're in the same spot a year from now.

— Focus three: Betz Farm.

It’ll be the brave commissioner to take this one off the table for a serious conversation, and I’m banking Chairman Bays is the one to do that.

I’ve outlined numerous reasons why this is a policy trainwreck. Zero strategic planning. Only one reason in the public’s favor: $6 million from the buyer. 

The public needs to weigh in before it gets any further. We have a new board, new chairman. We’re not locked into a thing on Betz Farm yet. Sounds like perfect workshop material.

I’m stoked about this coming County Commission year. I know what Commissioner Bays brings to the chairman’s role. I’m confident she will lead a board of confident commissioners.

Have a great Monday, friends.

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